Home › Forums › General Discussion Forum › MY FAVORITE WATCHMAKING BOOKS
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April 3, 2015 at 11:22 pm #49550
I have purchased quite a few watchmaking books over the years found that no one book covers everything. So far I felt that all of them helped contribute to the puzzle about what makes a watch work properly. Those of you who are just starting out can benefit greatly with a few basic choices and add to your library as you progress. If I had to chose a first book it would be THE WATCH REPAIR TRAINING MANUAL by the Bulova School of Watchmaking. This is not meant as a judgement on other books that start at the beginning, but this one seems to break the learning steps down into manageable segments better than many of the others. The following list is by no means all of the watch books out there but these are books I own and have learned a great deal from them.
!) WATCH REPAIR TRAINING MANUAL by Bulova School of Watchmaking
2) CHICAGO SCHOOL OF WATCHMAKING by Sweazey
3) POCKET WATCHES AND WHY THEY WORK by Bob Tascione
4) WATCH REPAIR FOR BEGINNERS by Kelly
5) PRACTICAL WATCH REPAIRING by Donald de Carle
6) HANDBOOK OF WATCH AND CLOCK REPAIR by H. G. Harris
7) WISCONSIN INSTITUTE OF HOROLOGY by F. A. Thomas
THE WATCH REPAIRER’S MANUAL by Henry B. Fried
9) WATCHMAKING by George Daniels
10) COMPLICATED WATCHES AND THEIR REPAIR by Donald de Carle
11) THE WATCH ESCAPEMENT by Henry B. Fried
12) PRACTICAL BENCHWORK FOR HOROLOGISTS by Samual and Louis Levin
13) CLOCK WHEEL AND PINION CUTTING by J. Malcolm Wild
14) PRACTICAL BALANCE AND HAIR-SPRING WORK by Walter J. Kleinlein
15) STAFF MAKING AND PIVOTING by Adams Brown Company
16) THE WATCHMAKERS LATHE by Goodrich
17) THE WATCHMAKER’S AND MODEL ENGINEER’S LATHE by Donald de Carle
18) THE WATCHMAKER AND HIS LATHE by H. Jendritzki
19) AMERICAN POCKET AND WRIST WATCH BALANCE STAFF INTERCHANGEABILITY LIST by George E. TownsendThis is not a complete list but I feel that these are the books that were the most important ones to me.
davidApril 4, 2015 at 6:17 am #62481Great list David. I have about 2/3’s of those plus a few not listed. One of my favorites for lathes is “The Modern Watchmakers Lathe and How To Use Them” by Archie Perkins. Great book.
April 4, 2015 at 3:47 pm #62482Great list..and actually the Bulova method was the one I bought right after I started this craft.
I too have just about 2/3rds of them..and I too like Perkin’s book on lathes Bernie.I would have put Bob’s book on top though David…you may be off the XMAS list now !!!!!
April 4, 2015 at 5:32 pm #62483😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 Good one Randy.
April 5, 2015 at 3:52 pm #62484😆
April 5, 2015 at 4:10 pm #62485Bob:
Thanks for posting this list. I have some on the list but not all. Now, I can keep an eye out for the rest.
Later,
TomApril 5, 2015 at 4:23 pm #62486Tom,
Not my list but Davids.
If I had posted this list my book wouldn’t have made it up here with these great authors and George Daniels would most likely have been at the top of the list. David was just being kind and for that he’s at the top of my Christmas list!Bob
April 5, 2015 at 4:48 pm #62487Bob:
I saw your name on that post at the board index level and thought you put it out there. It might help if I were to actually read this stuff before posting. I suppose you were the last one to post on that thread before I went in and started flailing away at the keyboard. 😳
So… thanks David!
TomApril 5, 2015 at 7:10 pm #62488Thanks Guys,
The reason I did not put the George Daniels book at the top of the list Is because without the background provided by the previous books, It would be of little value to someone just starting out.Bob, you deserve more credit than you gave yourself. Your book gave a correct description of compound gearing where the other books have not analyzed the problem correctly. The only other watch book that correctly covered this topic was the BULOVA SCHOOL OF WATCHMAKING.
April 5, 2015 at 9:58 pm #62489This is a great list, but David, my favorite book isn’t here…
I have to say that this one has seen me through many a problem on those dark and lonely nights when you’re simply….Stuck for a solution, I would highly recommend it
Please don’t thank me now, read it first..
April 6, 2015 at 8:08 am #62490David,
How could you have forgotten Chris’ book?The reason I did not put the George Daniels book at the top of the list Is because without the background provided by the previous books, It would be of little value to someone just starting out.
For sure, for sure. I just meant it became and remains my personal favorite. For watch repair I started out with the Bulova Watch Repair Training Manual (actually a book), Practical Watch Repairing, and Handbook of Clock & Watch Repair. Watch Repair Training Manual would also be at the top of my list for those starting out. That book was my bible back then. I loaned it to my friend over 20 years ago and he refuses to give it back to me!
Anxiously waiting to hear a report on Pahlows book after you receive and thumb through it.
Also good to know that my book was helpful. Thanks David.Bob
April 6, 2015 at 10:25 am #62480Bob:
Where can we purchase your book?
Thanks,
TomApril 6, 2015 at 11:43 am #62491While going over David’s list, I started a list of what I did not have from his and created a wish list on Amazon, mainly for easy of checking for them..
here is the Amazon page for Bob’s book- http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Watches-Why-They-Work/dp/B0027ESSLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428345680&sr=8-1&keywords=Bob+Tascione
April 6, 2015 at 6:59 pm #62492All:
I would like to add a companion book to the list…
PRACTICAL WATCH ADJUSTING by Donald de Carle
Thanks!
TomApril 6, 2015 at 7:35 pm #62493Bob:
A while back you put up a list of recommended readings but for the life of me, I can’t find it using the search feature. Could you, or someone post the link to that post?
Thanks,
Tom -
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